| Institute: | RMIT |
| Discipline: | Business |
| Title: | "Business Logistics" |
| Year addressed: | 1st Year |
| Phase: | Identifying Attributes, Curriculum, Learning Experiences and Assessment |
| Generic Attributes: |
The attributes that are adopted by the Business Logistics Course Team are those of BHP. they include: -Creativity- innovative approaches to problem
solving in relation to logistical operations |
Issues Revealed:
-It was revealed through feedback from key employer groups that business logistics' graduates could not adequately apply logistics content knowledge to diverse situations in professional practice.
-Staff research suggested that Graduate Attributes meant different things to different students. More specifically, international and national students displayed large differences in their understandings of each of the specific attributes. Students need opportunities to reflect upon, acknowledge and understand how these differences influence how students work and learn. Reflective skills therefore are cited as a crucial element of the development of broader based business skills. A paper outlining these differences is included with the report.
Actions Taken:
-The Business Logistics Course Team decided to incorporate graduate attributes into the undergraduate curriculum to assist students understand how they learnt. The rationale for this was to improve students' ability to make links between their own experiences, professional practice and academic knowledge.
-The RMIT University's generic attributes were seen as too general by teaching staff so they were defined in a way that was more relevant to Logistic students and their employers.
-Learning Experiences: Group Case study assignments were developed for the first year subject Business Logistics. Examples of project case studies have been provided within the paper as well as a table linking the attributes to specific learning experiences.
-Assessments are now being developed that have detailed criteria that relate to specific graduate attributes. Some subjects, including the third year cooperative placement year, are moving towards assessment through attribute portfolios (see the example of the attribute portfolio attached).
Lessons Learned/Reflections:
-Teachers are now considering ways to encourage students to reflect on how and why they form certain groups. This is thought to be an interesting way of encouraging students to understand and critique the context of their own working and learning practices and processes. Portfolios and templates are being developed. An example of a subject level attribute portfolio is located in the ATN web site.
-A subject that specifically fosters the development of the graduate attributes has been developed and will commence in 1999. It will be a core subject and is essentially management based. However, staff recognise that the importance of graduate attribute development lies in an holistic approach to content and learning, so all logistics subjects are being reviewed in this context.
-Staff need to be aware of the cultural differences of their students, and the effect of these differences on the anticipated learning experiences and outcomes. Moreover, staff need to commit themselves to some of the cultural awareness program.
-It is hoped that the integration and incorporation of reflective and contextual skills into all teaching and learning experiences throughout the logistics program will play a crucial role in the employability of graduates.
-The Logistics Course Team has now raised the issue of working and assessing through portfolios that address attribute development with key employer groups. They have received very supportive comments from these groups in relation to the idea and are now working towards using portfolios in 1st, 2nd, 3rd-cooperatibe year , and 4th year.
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